Posts

Showing posts from April, 2013

Gordon Hirabayashi: Why I refused to register for Japanese evacuation

Image
Published by Crosscut By  Gordon K. Hirabayashi with James A. Hirabayashi and Lane Ryo Hirabayashi Editor's Note:  Gordon K. Hirabayashi was a student at University of Washington when the U.S. ordered the removal of Japanese-Americans in the Pacific Northwest. Hirabayashi refused curfew orders, prompting a legal battle. He lost. It wasn't until the 1980s that Hirabayshi's convictions were overturned, putting him firmly in the right on his initial refusal. After his death in 2012, Hirabayashi’s brother, James Hirabayashi and nephew, Lane Hirabyashi, compiled his diaries and correspondence which follow his experiences as a student through time served in jail for defying U.S. orders. The book gives insight into Hayabayashi's motivations and faith during his time in jail. “A Principled Stand: The Story of Hirabayashi v. United States"  chronicling the life Gordon K. Hirabayashi was released by the University of Washington Press this month.  Below is an excerp